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diastasis recti repair

If I lay on my back you can clearly see where i have a seperation in my stomach muslces from below the center of my chest bone all the way down to my pelvic bone. My children are 5 and 9 months. Both were c-section delivery and I had a tubial ligation.  I am small only 61 inches tall and I have dropped ALOT of weight. I find eating is extremely uncomfortlbe so I am down to about 100 lbs. By belly button also pokes out. the muscles around my pevis have become to feel knot like and ache severely. What should i do? What procedure will fix this? Can it be fixed?
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Avatar universal
Hi Everyone,
I recently had DR (2/25/16) repair and inguinal hernia repair. No matter what the insurance companies say DR is clearly a medical condition.  I suffered with chronic sever lower back pain for years (didn't know what it was) gait was off balance and constipation that eventually caused hemmroids. I thought getting a personal trainer would help me loose my abdomen which looked 6 months pregnant on a very thin frame. I became extremely tired of wearing large tops & sweaters every season (summer also) to cover my abdomen and people asking me "are you pregnant?" "when are you due?" No matter what anyone says exercise will not help your DR only surgery will, in fact the crunches and sit ups made my DR worse. Insurance will pay for both surgeries it all depends on how your physician documents and code.  My insurance paid for everything.  We need a support group for DR, we need to change the insurance practice. DR, regardless of any discomfort should be covered by insurance. As of today my weekly constipation and painful lower back pain no longer exist. My gait is also much improved and I feel fantastic.
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2 Comments
How did your doctor word it?
fabulous! Can I get details on the code or word usage your physician used please
Avatar universal
Your first move is to find another doctor!  Any physician who treats a patient's concerns as "minor" should be fired on the spot.  Good luck to you.
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Who is your doctor? I had a hernia when I was younger in my belly button. I had two particial historectomies n have a lot of bowel problems where they took 3 n 4 inches of my intestines out. I'm having severe stomach pain for 4 years n I have a hernia between my breast bones. They always check my gallbladder out and find out that the gallbladder is fine. It looks like I'm 5 to 6 months pregnant but after I eat my belly gets bigger n hurts worse. I've had accidents with my bladder a lot. When I cough or sneeze it gets worse. I go to the bathroom a lot but hardly go. I'm out of work now n got Medicaid n was wondering if I they would cover this. I also have degenerated disc in my lower back. Can you give me your doctors name n number so I can talk to her. Thanks julie
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Avatar universal
I am so glad I found this forum! I too have DR and have had a consult with one plastic surgeon.  She advised me insurance WILL NOT cover the abdominoplasty....so please keep us posted as to what your dr says!  

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Avatar universal
just wondering how it went with you? I have DR and an umbellical hernia too. Im wanting to have my insurance cover this surgery because im in constant back pain! I go to the dr tmw to follow up on my MRI.
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Hi...sorry so late. The general surgeon repaired my muscles and the plastic surgeon removed the excess skin. I'm not sure how it was coded with my insurance company. I believe that it was ultimately covered because I also ha a hernia. I had to pay for the plastic surgeon, 1/2 operating room costs and 1/2 cost of anaesthesia (sp?).  I had surgery when my baby was 15 months. I had help for the first 3 weeks. After that I only lifted him when necessary...about twice a day.

Good luck!
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Avatar universal
Hi...a tummy tuck is not covered by insurance. Only the muscle repair is covered. I paid out of pocket for the excess skin removal (tummy tuck).  I also had a hernia and my general surgeon repaired the hernia and the muscles at the same time.

Good Luck!!
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Avatar universal
Hi...sorry my response is so late. I have private insurance through my employer. They only covered the muscle repair. It was covered because I also had a hernia. My general surgeon couldn't fix the hernia without doing the muscle repair. I paid for the removal of the skin (tummy tuck) out of pocket.
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Avatar universal
Please email me at senica @ comporium dot net. My email is coded. The site doesn't allow emails.
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Avatar universal
Hi,
I live in Charlotte and I am looking for a surgeon to fix my Diastasis Recti. I was reading through the comments and ran across your post. Will you please email me you doctors contact info?

Thanks
Sheila

***@****
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Avatar universal
I am looking for someone to repair a very very very severe diastasis recti separation.  I look 6 to 7 months pregnant and am in a lot of pain day to day.  I am asked all the time if I am pregnant.  I live in East Texas and am looking for someone in the Dallas, Tyler, or anywhere in east texas. I am nerves and need a GREAT doctor because my quality of life is at stake. thanks.
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Avatar universal
Greetings to all affected Ladies --
I was perusing the internet to see if indeed Diastasis Recti was ever covered by insurance.  I am a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Louisville Colorado -- and an expert in this type of surgery.  I have tried for years to help women get this procedure covered by insurance.  Occasionally, when coupled with a genuine hernia repair (what we call umbilical or ventral hernia), coverage of the muscle separation is remotely possible.  Never has the excess skin excision been covered by insurance.  In reality, repair of the diastasis recti will also fix the hernia, if done correctly by a skilled surgeon.  My office and I will continue to research this issue, and follow-up if any success is achieved.

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Avatar universal
Hi can you please tell me what insurance you have and how you got them to cover it? Thank you so much
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hello can you please tell me what insurance you have?  Thanks!!!
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Thanks for your post.  Are you saying you were able to get your insurance to cover this?  Can you explain how and what insurance you have.  So appreciated!!!
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Avatar universal
Hi! I have had enough of all the same issues stated - bowel issues, urinary issues & lower back pain.  I am going to begin the process that I assume will lead to surgery - seeing a general surgeon & a plastic surgeon.
So, I want to know...
What exactly did the general surgeon do? And how was it worded &/or coded on insurance papers?  And what insurance?  Did insurance cover the anathesiologist fees, too?  
When did you begin caring for your kids again?  
I am so hopeful to get rid of these uncomfortable and sometimes painful ailments based on your entry but further details would be appreciated!!
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Avatar universal
Let me know if you see an attorney. I, along with others I'm sure, would sign a petition or something to get the insurance companies to wake up and realize that this is a MEDICAL issue, not cosmetic!

Keep me informed

Icantmakethisstuffup
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Avatar universal
hi how are u i am having similar issues and i need to know how to go about putting that through the insurance please further explain to me how this was done please email me to ***@****
currently i had twins 8 months ago i have a huge problem with the diastesis recti and i am also having problems with my bowels i just dont know whats next i also have a hernia i have been told only thought a tummy tuck which isnt covered will my tummy b flat again, the insurance does cover the hernia repair still i dont have the $8,000 out of pocket for tummy tuck please respond thanks
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Avatar universal
Reading all these posts is not making me feek crazy anymore. I'm 28 with three children. 11, 5 and 8 months. I noticed after my second child that i had a lump in my tummy and still looked like i was pregnant. Now after finding out now that i have diastasis recti and also have a umbilical hernia where is now i have concern. My general surgeon did my gallbladder removal in 2011 and seen my hernia and did nothing. Now it got bigger and painful. Shes aware of my diastasis recti and just told me yesterday theres nothing that can be done about it...WOW like really. I googled it and theres surgery that can correct this issue. I need help I want to do both procedures at once. She wants to scheulde my umbilical Hernia Surgery next week already.  I want both issues addressed. What should I do. Anyone know of a good surgeon in the bay area. I live in Hayward,ca. Thanks
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Avatar universal
Did you have your surgery?  What was the outcome?
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my surgery is april 2012.
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I am scheduled for diastsis recti repair april 2011. Can anyone tell me what to expect after surgery and the recovery time?

Thanks for your help.
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Avatar universal
I have read all of the posts on this site as I was trying to figure out if i would need a full tummy tuck. I too had a hernia so my pcp referred me to a specialist who then informed me that I had the worst case of DR he had ever seen before. So to make a long story short I had surgery to remove the DR while i got my tubaligation done by another doc at the same time, only a couple days ago and the specialist just performed a minituck and to my surprise there isnt the extra skin many of us small frame ppl are worried about. Good luck to you guys
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Avatar universal
K. Thanks! :) will do
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